An Encouraging Word

            Many years ago a man was visiting Niagara Falls on vacation. While he was there, the great Charles Blondin was attempting to walk over the falls on a tightrope. A large crowd quickly gathered to watch him perform this dangerous feat. The crowd started cheering for Blondin and encouraged him to commence his walk across the falls. Before he began, Blondin turned to the crowd and shouted, “Do you believe I can do it?” The crowd responded, “Yes, we believe! Yes, we believe!” With the encouragement of the crowd, the great Blondin walked across the falls to the applause of the people.

            On his next attempt, Blondin planned to cross the falls while pushing a wheel barrel. He again asked the crowd, “Do you believe I can do it?” And the people cried out, “Yes, we believe! Yes, we believe!” Blondin skillfully maneuvered the wheel barrel across the tight rope to the other side of the falls. The crowd went wild.

            Blondin returned yet again to speak the crowd. This time he had a wheel barrel and a blindfold. He told the crowd he was going to push the wheel barrel across the falls on a tight rope while blindfolded. Blondin looked to the crowd and said, “Do you believe I can do it?”  The crowd responded, “Yes, we believe! Yes, we believe!”  The tourist was standing on the front row. Blondin looked him in the eyes and said, “Do you believe I can do it?”  The tourist replied, “Yes, I believe. I believe!”  Blondin said to him, “Well then, will you get in the wheel barrel as I push it across?” Suddenly, this man wasn’t sure if he really believed.

            Do you believe in Christ? I mean, do you really believe? Most people say they believe in Christ but like this tourist, their belief is superficial at best. Simply saying you believe means nothing. The Bible says that even the demons believe in God. So what does it mean to truly believe in Christ? It means to totally trust your life to Christ. It means to turn from your sin and your old way of life and place yourself completely under the control and power of Christ. Very simply, it means to crawl into the wheel barrel and trust completely that Christ will carry you to the other side. That’s what it means to believe.

            So let me ask you again, “Do you believe in Christ?” If you have never trusted your life to Jesus Christ, I want to encourage you to do that today. I am praying for you today that you will truly understand what it means to “believe” in Christ.

Be encouraged,

Pastor Rob